🇦🇲🇮🇳 Armenia has proposed a Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor to connect Indian traders with Russia and Europe, The Economic Times reports.

🔸 The offer was made last week by a visiting Armenian team comprising senior officials and experts. It came at a time when Armenia's foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan was also visiting India.

🔸 The proposed corridor-which will run parallel to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)-will aim to connect Mumbai with Bandar Abbas in Iran and then Armenia and onward to Europe or Russia, bypassing Azerbaijan with whom India has lukewarm ties amid its close association with Turkey and Pakistan. |1lurer.am|

🇦🇲🇺🇸 While traveling to Syunik and Vayots Dzor, I had the chance to experience Armenia’s natural beauty and unique cultural heritage, taste some delicious regional foods, and meet some of Armenia’s talented artisans. I look forward to seeing more! [Kristina Kvien, US Ambassador to Armenia]

🇦🇿🇮🇷 The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan made a joint statement, announcing that the military plane belonging to Iran has been flying continuously for more than half an hour today along the Azerbaijani-Iranian state border, in direction of the occupied Zangilan (Kovsakan) regions of Artsakh and the Bilyasuvar regions of Azerbaijan.
🔸"The presence of an Iranian military aircraft so close to the state border of the two countries and the flight over the border line threatens the safety of civil aviation and serves to further strain the relations between the two countries. It is a provocative and unfriendly step towards Azerbaijan," the message states.
🔸 Regarding the incident, the ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, where he was given a note of protest.

You can't advance technology without advancing science - Dr. Mary Papazian
Dr. Mary Papazyan, the former president of Jan Jose State University talks with Infocom about the importance of the educational component of DigiTech 2022, as well as touches on the challenges of education in Armenia.

Cooperation of science and tech is really strategic for our country - Armen Kherlopian
Chief Scientist Armen Kherlopian talks with Infocom about the importance of cooperation of science and tech in Armenia, the role of educational institutions, the development of Armenian tech ecosystem, the importance of networking with international colleges and organizations for scientists and scientific institutions and more.

Tech is gonna give advantages to all economic sectors and solve society’s problems - Berge Ayvazian
Berge Ayvazyan, Senior Analyst and Consultant at Wireless 20/20, talks with Infocom about advancing science and technology, the cooperation between universities and institutes, the comparison of the Armenian tech ecosystem 10 years ago and now and its development, the reason why many Armenian startups incorporate in the US but operate in Armenia, the role of Armenia in the global market and more.

Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, as a result of which 120,000 residents of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, are under siege.

It is not possible to deliver 400 tons of food and medicine from RA to Artsakh every day.

About 820 citizens were deprived of the opportunity to solve their health problems through surgery due to the suspension of scheduled surgeries in all medical institutions of Artsakh. During this period, 153 Armenians and 4 foreigners in need of emergency medical care were transferred to Armenia through the mediation of the Red Cross. One of the patients died in Artsakh.

Azerbaijan has blocked the only gas pipeline feeding Artsakh from Armenia. Fan power outages are carried out 6 times a day for 1 hour. There is a food coupon system.

Artsakh is under siege.

Photo: Marut Vanyan

🇦🇲🗞 Daily News Summary [11-12.03.23]

https://infocom.am/en/article/98701

❗️The office of the president of Azerbaijan informs that "representatives of the Armenians of Artsakh" have been invited to hold the second meeting in Baku in the coming days.
📌 It is noted that "contacts regarding the implementation of reintegration and infrastructure projects" will continue at the meeting.

🇦🇿 Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev states: "The creation of an international mechanism for discussing the rights and security of Karabakh Armenians cannot be a condition for Armenia to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan."
📌 According to him, there can be no question about that, Baku never agreed to it, and Yerevan's claims in this regard are illogical, aimed at "creating artificial tension".
|azatutyun.am|

🇦🇲🇷🇺 On the initiative of the Armenian side, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Nikol Pashinyan.
📌 The practical aspects of the implementation of the tripartite agreements were discussed, including the steps aimed at ensuring stability and security on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, restoring economic and transport links, and preparing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
📌 Referring to the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, Vladimir Putin emphasized the need to solve all problems in a constructive way, with close communication and interaction between the parties and Russian peacekeepers. [Kremlin press service]

Entrepreneurs from Armenia, Georgia and Iran talk on the differences of ecosystems in the region
Sargis Karapetyan, tech entrepreneur, deputy CEO of UATE (Armenia), Shota Kvaratskelia, CEO of Fertimo (Georgia), and Amir Mirjafari, Chief Business Development Officer (Iran), talk about the challenges that startups face in their countries, the need of cooperation between the entrepreneurs of the three countries, the importance of the networking, finding new markets in the regional countries and their DigiTec experience.

🇦🇲🇷🇺 According to the report of the Armenian side, Pashinyan and Putin discussed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh because of the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan.

📌 "In this context, Prime Minister Pashinyan referred to the sabotage attack carried out by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh on March 5 and its consequences. In the context of overcoming the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Prime Minister of Armenia emphasized the appropriate response of the Russian Federation.
📌 Thoughts were also exchanged on the process of regulating Armenia-Azerbaijan relations."

Government’s role is to be an enabler, to make a good infrastructure for innovations - Suvi Linden
Suvi Linden, Former Minister of Communications of Finland, talks to Infocom about the growth and development of the tech industry of Finland, government’s response to the challenges during difficult times, government’s role in enabling the growth of the companies and investing in the industry and her impression on Armath engineering laboratories.

📌 Spokesperson of the RA MFA Vahan Hunanyan was dismissed from his post according to his own application. He noted that the new spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry is Ani Badalyan.
🗣 "Finally, I should mention that I will continue my diplomatic service in the Foreign Ministry," Hunanyan wrote on his Facebook page.

❗On March 13, at 19:00-19:30, the units of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan opened fire from different caliber rifles in the direction of the Armenian positions located in the direction of Verin Shorzha.

📌 The Armenian side has no losses. As of 22:00, the situation on the frontline is relatively stable. [RA Defense Ministry]

🇦🇲🗞 Daily News Summary [13.03.23]

https://infocom.am/en/article/98747

Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, as a result of which 120,000 residents of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, are under siege.

It is not possible to deliver 400 tons of food and medicine from RA to Artsakh every day.

About 820 citizens were deprived of the opportunity to solve their health problems through surgery due to the suspension of scheduled surgeries in all medical institutions of Artsakh. During this period, 153 Armenians and 4 foreigners in need of emergency medical care were transferred to Armenia through the mediation of the Red Cross. One of the patients died in Artsakh.

Azerbaijan has blocked the only gas pipeline feeding Artsakh from Armenia. Fan power outages are carried out 6 times a day for 1 hour. There is a food coupon system.

Artsakh is under siege.

Photo: Marut Vanyan/ Sarsang reservoir and Mrav mountain chain/

🔸 13 people from Artsakh were transferred to specialized medical centers of RA with the mediation and accompaniment of ICRC.
🔸 10 medical patients, who were referred to RA for treatment, returned to Artsakh with their companions. [Artsakh Ministry of Health]

🇦🇲🇦🇿 During his press conference Nikol Pashinyan announced that in mid-February, another response of RA regarding the draft peace treaty was forwarded to Azerbaijan and two or three days ago, and RA received Azerbaijan's response.
🗣 "It should be emphasized that we see some progress (in the document), but the further we go, the more fundamental problems arise. First, Azerbaijan is trying to formulate territorial demands or aspirations towards RA through a possible peace treaty, which is a red line for us, next, Azerbaijan is trying to obtain a mandate to carry out genocide or ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, including with the signature of RA. Next, Azerbaijan pursues such a line that we do not have a system of guarantees for the fulfillment of the contract, which is also a red line for us," Nikol Pashinyan said.